Evangeline and the Bunyip is due out any day now and I can’t wait to show you the cover.

But in the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at page 1.

Enjoy.

Evangeline and the Bunyip

Chapter 1

“And another thing, Evangeline. You mustn’t eat too much. There’ll be ample food and I know you have a… healthy… appetite,” Uncle Augie said.

Evangeline glanced at the buttery shortbread in her hand. What could Uncle Augie possibly mean? It was only her third.

“It’s rather unseemly for a lady to eat heartily in public,” Augie continued.

Miss Plockton nodded vigorously.

“Aye. Overeating in corsetry is very dangerous,” she said. “You dinnae want an attack of the vapours.”

“Or worse.” Uncle Augie curled up his nose. “I heard a terrible story of a young lady who was forced to ‘evacuate’ in the nearest potted palm. She didn’t see the Duke of Windsor standing on the other side. One too many blancmanges. Let that be a lesson to you, Evangeline.”

Evangeline sighed into her cup of coffee, then shoved the shortbread into her mouth whole. 

Miss Plockton and Augie recoiled with a gasp, their hands fluttering to their chests.

“I’ll need my strength for tonight’s Ball,” Evangeline replied, but only after the delicious buttery treat was gone from her mouth. Evangeline would never win an award for deportment but she knew not to speak with her mouth full.

Uncle Augie, Miss Plockton and Evangeline had been shopping all morning, finalising the last minute details for Evangeline’s Easter Ball ensemble. Now they were resting their weary feet at the Royal Coffee Palace, with a restorative brew and a biscuit. Or four.